wananewmar
long beach calif
New Member
Joined: 10/16/2003
View Profile
|
What is the deal with having no spare tire on a Diesel Rig. I've been in places and would have a hard time coping, if I got a flat tire on the front and didn't have a spare to put on. Can anybody give me solutions to this problem. Maybe carrying a spare in one of the compartments. Tell me your horror stories if you have any. I put a bid on a 36" Journey DL 2001 and need advice. Hope to be a diesel owner soon.
Thanks Steve
* This post was
edited 11/14/03 05:13pm by wananewmar *
stevey boy
|
readytoretire
League City, Texas
Senior Member
Joined: 07/28/2003
View Profile
 Offline
|
Steve,
I too would not want to be anywhere with out a spare. I have a fully mounted 19.5 in a basement compartment. While not a 22.5 there would be room for one in there if that is what I had as well.
Good Luck,, Carry a spare, Why rely on the tire guy at 1 o'clock in the morning on a freeway. Have the spare and let him install it
Doug & Elysha & All the Boys
94 Bounder 36'P Diesel Pusher, Cummins 5.9, Osh Kosh Chassis 89'vette, 98'suburban, 04'aveo
3- Shifter Karts = 125mph Fun.:
|
Tradewinds
Northwest Washington
Senior Member
Joined: 05/25/2003
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
I mounted a 22.5 spare on the wheel between the frame rails on my Tradewinds, use a boat winch I mounted to get it in and out. Having said that when I get a flat, I call my service provider tell them where I am and drink a beer while waiting for them. No way am I going to manhandle that thing and even if I could the torque is 450# I am a little short on making that happen...
My buddy waited three days to get a tire for his Monaco and he was only about 150 miles from the factory.
Bob
National Tradewinds with Nissan 4x4 Ext Cab/Honda CRV Toad
It's the Journey not the Destination
RVing since 1970
|
Death to Avatar
Woodinville WA
Full Member
Joined: 07/01/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
readytoretire.......
I'll just kick back, fire up the satellite, and wait for AAA Road Service to come earn their $$, you even said in your post that you would have to wait for a service guy to come change it(the spare you carry)....
Moral is unless you are willing to carry the air tools, and jacking equipment on top of a mounted spare, you are stuck either way. I personally wouldn't care to sacrafice my GVW and cargo square footage for a spare and the tools.....
Spending our kids inheritance, one gallon at a time!
2004 Newmar Mountain Aire 40' Triple Slide Mdl #4017DP
Cummins 400HP ISL, Spartan MM Chassis
2003 Chevy Trailblazer "Fat" Towd
4th coach....were done!
|
n5sgo
Catoosa OK.
Senior Member
Joined: 04/05/2002
View Profile
|
First off, the tire and rim is very heavy and bulky. Then you have the 1 1/2 inch lug nuts that are torqued to 550 lbs. and if you have knee style levelers they probably will not extend because of being too low to the ground, so you need a good heavy duty floor jack to carry. A bottle jack may or may not fit under there with a flat tire. You need a 5 ft long (min) breaker bar with a 3/4 drive socket set, or at least the 1 1/2 budd socket. A pair of work coveralls because your going to get real dirty.
My wife will not give me enough room in the bays for all that stuff. So I'll just have to call road service. Now I do have all that stuff for doing that kind of work at home, and I might even start carrying a spare "tire only" in a roof top carrier. But when on the road I'll let that 22 year old weight lifter tire guy change mine, and leave the bay's to my wife that likes to fill them with "can not pass up on buys" from the local venders.
Lee
Lee & Marilyn
1989 Foretravel #15604
FMCA F291508
2001 Wrangler
3208 Cat 4 speed
http://f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/n5sgo
|
|
|
allynne
Lakewood WA USA
Senior Member
Joined: 03/25/2001
View Profile
Offline
|
I carry an unmounted used 275/80 22.5 tire in my cargo compartment.
Road service people can mount it and install it.
I can put many items inside that spare, so I loose less space.
I think if you monitor tire pressures regularly and maintain the recommended pressures. The 275/70 or 80 is a truck tire and pretty tough. Mine are regroveable and Michlen says they should be good for 80,000 to 120,000 miles. The time limit would still apply.
I have over 55,000 miles on mine with little wear shown.
Don't worry about having no spare.
allynne
01 DSDP FL/Cat
FMCA F296601
NKK12927
|
mckellyb
technically, South Dakota
Senior Member
Joined: 05/09/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
Everyone has the right idea...DP's don't have spares, OEM, 'cause the tire alone weighs at least 100 lbs. Add a wheel, now you're looking at 200+. In addition, I don't know about you, but I'm not about to try to put 500 ft. lbs. of torque on a lug nut on the side of the road. Not even gonna try. *Maybe* in front of the house, with a big air gun...*maybe*.
Nah.
Personally, when I replace the four rear tires on our rig, I'm keeping the two inner duals, as they're decent, and I want to have not one, but two, as my bad luck runs in batches. I figure, one under the bed, and on more remote trips, one in/on the toad.
Kelly & Johna
'99 Bounder Diesel 39Z, 120K, VMSpc, Koni's all around, RV500 tankless water heater, many other mods
'05 Cadillac STS, N*, 84K
'95 E320, my beater car, 175K, future toad
My wife follows faithfully in her '02 RX300 AWD, 94K, if need be
|
WaterGlide
Bunkie, Louisiana i.e. Middle of NoWhere
Senior Member
Joined: 07/09/2002
View Profile
Good Sam RV Club Member
Offline
|
I had two front blowouts and the first one took only about 3 hours for a guy to show up with a replacement tire and I was on my way. The next time, I had to wait a day on a weigh station on ramp just off the interstate. I was pretty well out the shoulder so the highway patrol let me stay there overnight. I am going to rid myself of the Michelin XRV's and get some Goodyears and same the tire I bought last time for a spare, it was a bridgestone, slightly bigger. However, the rig is still in the shop being repaired after that last blowout, 5 weeks and counting. Carry at least a tire, unmounted.
2001 Rexhall Roseair 39 FT, Cummins ISC
Ford Focus ZX3 Toad
Honda Valkyrie on Trailer
|
wananewmar
long beach calif
New Member
Joined: 10/16/2003
View Profile
|
Eastbound on I-10 in Alabama today. Went through the Mobile Bay Tunnel and right at the end of the tunnel saw a newish Journey with a flat on the right front. Guy was right at an exit but didn't take it. So, there he sits with an Alabama State truck behind him trying to provide some protection. He is about 24 inches from the guard rail and vehicles are whizzing past including plenty of 18 wheelers. Every passing truck is providing plenty of wind for this poor guy who is trying to do something about his problem. Saw a spare tire sitting beside the guy but it was a bare tire minus a rim. Looked like the guy was awaiting a tire service truck to help him out.
I'll tell you.... no sane service truck guy is going to work on that coach where it was stopped. He's going to need a wrecker or tow truck to get him somewhere safe to do all the things required to mount that tire and change it. If he'd have had a useable spare he would have been able, I believe, to change it with the protection of the state truck.
Wonder how many hours and dollars he wasted by not having a useable spare?
|
oldusedbear
Brookings, OR, USA
Senior Member
Joined: 08/12/2003
View Profile
Offline
|
I like to think that I hit a good compromise. My DP is a '96 and I got it with 38K miles on the original tires. Our local Les Schwab tire dealer (senior employee) really went over the original (Goodyear) tires with care. His conclusion: They look great - - no checking etc. However, based on age alone (they look like they would easily go another 50,000 miles), he suggested changing out the front tires to new Toyos. Keeping the Goodyears and carrying one (unmounted), for a spare. The other one is stored at home for a "backup". Rationale is obviously that front blowout is something to worry about but losing one of the duals is less of a danger.
I was initially a little concerned about the challenge of mounting one of these big tires by a "road warrior" but after watching the young man at the tire shop, my fears were allayed. He de-mounted the old tire with what looked like a mattox and a bar, and re-mounted the new one with just the bar - - all ala Jack Armstrong in about 4 minutes. Don't doubt that he or similarly equipped person can do the same thing by the side of the road.
Bottom line: Agree with earlier posts that just the unmounted tire is heavier than a bucket of hog livers. Should fortune frown upon me, I will call the FMCA Come Fixum guys and pass the time with a cold something or another.
The reason for spelling is so that all of the words don't look the same.
|
|
|
|
